Federer, Roddick overcome first-round jitters

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) _ Players always worry about a little bout of the jitters in the first round of a Grand Slam tournament _ even Roger Federer. <br/><br/>The top-ranked Federer uncharacteristically

Monday, January 15th 2007, 6:22 am

By: News On 6

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) _ Players always worry about a little bout of the jitters in the first round of a Grand Slam tournament _ even Roger Federer.

The top-ranked Federer uncharacteristically dropped serve three times in the first set against Bjorn Phau before rallying to win 7-5, 6-0, 6-4 and kick off the defense of his Australian Open title Monday.

Amelie Mauresmo, who claimed her first Grand Slam title last year here, also started a bit nervous and Andy Roddick had to survive a slow start against a wild-card entry ranked only 212th.

The bottom line in the first days of the two-week event is getting through without injury and finding form after the off season, often while facing unfamiliar opponents with nothing to lose. Fourth-seeded Ivan Ljubicic didn't make it, falling 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-4, 6-4 to American Mardy Fish, who has climbed back into the top 50 after plummeting to 341 in the wake of two wrist operations in 2005.

Federer feared losing the first set, which helped him regain his focus in a stuttering first set.

``I got broken in the first set three times, and that makes you a little bit nervous,'' said Federer, who went 92-5 with 12 titles last season and is on the cusp of breaking Jimmy Connors' record of 160 consecutive weeks atop the men's rankings. ``You try to stay cool, but I got a little bit nervous.

``I'm happy I'm through because it looked like it was definitely going to head for a first-set loss, but I came through. That's the most important.''

That was Roddick's mantra, too, after Jo-Wilfred Tsonga, riding a powerful serve in only his sixth match in a top level ATP event, took the first set in a marathon tiebreaker and served for the second set. Roddick wasted four set points in the but came through with a 6-7 (18), 7-6 (2), 6-3, 6-3 victory.

``I thought it was a pretty ordinary performance,'' the sixth-seeded American said. ``I think I got a little first-round jitters. These first matches are a little bit uncomfortable sometimes. But it got better as I went along.''

The second-seeded Mauresmo dropped serve early with three errors against American Shenay Perry, then righted herself and took control to advance 6-3, 6-4.

Serena Williams, seeking her eighth Grand Slam title but unseeded after a rash of injuries, started slow, too, but picked up her game to oust 27th-seeded Mara Santangelo 6-2, 6-1 in an error-plagued night match. Santangelo had only six winners to 23 unforced errors, while Williams ripped 10 aces in an otherwise lackluster service effort.

``I'm feeling pretty good,'' Williams said. ``I came out and finally did what I was supposed to do, to a certain level. I feel I have nothing to lose. There is only one way I can move, and that's up.''

Federer remembers all too well what it was like to be on the other side, just another hopeful looking for a big upset.

``I came up on Tour and I got many, many wild cards, especially in 1999 after finishing the junior year in '98 as No. 1,'' he recalled. ``So I was thrown in with the big boys very early.

``I went through a patch where I had many losses, and maybe more so I enjoy it now when I win.''

One of those 1999 losses came against Phau, who was one of the few players with a winning record (1-0) against the Swiss star.

Federer next plays Jonas Bjorkman of Sweden, who rallied to beat Olivier Patience of France 5-7, 4-6, 6-0, 6-1, 6-2 to advance beyond the first round at Melbourne Park for the first time since reaching the quarterfinals in 2002.

Federer beat Bjorkman in the semifinals at Wimbledon last year.

Federer's finals opponent here last year, Marcos Baghdatis, also advanced, backed again by a vocal crowd from Melbourne's large Greek community.

While the Australian Open has traditionally welcomed boisterous national followings, rivalries boiled over on Monday. Police and private security guards ejected 150 people from the Melbourne Park venue after Croatian and Serbian spectators kicked each other and used flag poles as weapons during brief scuffles that each side blamed on the other. Police said no injuries were reported and no arrests were made.

Organizers said further strife would not be tolerated and tightened security with Croatian Marin Cilic due to play Serbia's Ilia Bozoljac on Tuesday.

Croatian Mario Ancic was among the seeded players advancing on the men's side, along with No. 18 Richard Gasquet and former No. 1-ranked Juan Carlos Ferrero, who only played three games before his first-round rival retired.

Amer Delic, Zack Fleishman and Vince Spadea were the other Americans joining Roddick in the second round.

Among the women, third-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova beat Australian Jessica Moore 6-2, 6-0 while fellow Russian Elena Dementieva, seeded seventh, advanced with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Stephanie Foretz of France.

French Open semifinalist Nicole Vaidisova, seeded 10th, beat American Jill Craybas6-4, 5-7, 6-1 and 11th-seeded Jelena Jankovic continued her successful start to the year with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Canada's Aleksandra Wozniak.